Dating device



Y (No Model.)

W. H. DIETZ.

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` UNITED rSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. DIETZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DATING DEVICE.

ltr `SPECICEICUI'JI'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,026, dated June 5,1888.

Application filed May 14, 1887. Serial No. 238,172. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. DIETZ, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dating Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following isafull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to dating or numbering devices of that class embracing one or more movable type-supports, either in the form of type bands or disks, which are moved or turned by hand to bring a desired number or character or combination of the same into position for printing. i

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is herein illustrated in connection with a dating device which is applied to a self-inking hand-stamp of that kind enI- bracing a frame carrying an inking-pad, a handle movable relatively to the frame, and a vertically-movable rotating die-plate, which is 'turned to bring the printing-die into contact either with the inking-pad or printingsurface by a movement of the handle relatively to the frame.

lIhe invention is also shown in connection with a common form of hand-stamp which is withoutany self-inking attachment.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved means of turning or moving the type disks or bands of numbering or dating devices without bringing the fingers into contact with the inked types of such type disks or bands.

To this end the invention consists in a covering of lleXible or elastic material placed over or around the type disks or bands at the place at which the ngers are usually applied thereto for moving the same. Such flexible or elastic covering enables the type-disks to be turned or the type-bands to be moved with the same facility as when such covering is absent, while at the same time the fingers are entirely protected from Contact with theinkcd surface or type. A covering of the kind described has the additional advantage that it may be made to entirely inclose the type disks or bands at the points at which they are er posed for turning them, and thus effectually prevent access of dust or dirt to the said type disks or bauds, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention maybe more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a self-inking handstamp containing a dating device constructed in accordance with my invention.V Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, taken upon line .fr m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is ascetional View of the same, taken upon line y 1/ of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 illustrates in central vertical section ahand-stamp containing a dating device, but which is without any self-inking attachment. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional `view of the same.

In the said drawings, A is the Inain part or frame of the hand-stamp, and B the handle thereof, provided with forks b b, to which is connected, by means of pivots c e, the revolving die-plate C. Within the upper part of the frame A is placed an inking-pad, A', and the die-plate is provided at its ends with slotted guideplates O O', engaging studs a a upon the frame A, said die-plates and studs acting to turn the dic-plate and to guide it in the approach of the rubber die-plate O2 thereon toward the inking-pad and printing-surface, in the manner set forth in a patent to George Van Zandt, No. 288,385, dated November 15, 1883. To the rear or inner surface of the dieplate O is attached a band dating device, (indicated as a whole by D.) Said band dating device comprises three exible bands, EE E2, which in the particular instance illustrated contain, respectively, types indicating the names of the months, a series of gures indii eating the days of the month, and iigures indicating the year. The exterior bands, E E2, are trained over two rollers, e e, and a bar, c', -which is secured within a slot or opening, c2, im the dieplate C, in such position as to sustain the types or dies upon the said bands flush with the types on the rubber dieplate O2. The intermediate band, E', containing 't-he types for the days ofthe month, is much longer than the other bands, and is trained over the bar e and over two rollers, e2 e, located at a point remote from the die IOO plate, together with a third roller, e3, placed near the die-plate'and between the parts of the band extending from the bar c to the rollers e2. The said several rollers c e e?l c2 are mounted on two bearing-pins, d d, and the roller c3 is mounted upon a third bearing-pin, d', and said bearing-pins d d d are supported at their ends in two end plates, D D', forming the frame of the dater. The cross-bar c is also attached to said plates DD, and the said frame and cross-bar are adj ustably sustained upon the die-plate C by means of screwthreaded posts c" c3, rigidly fixed to the dieplate, upon which posts are placed nuts c* et', engaging the opposite sides of laterallyprojecting lugs d2 d2 upon the end plate, D', of the frame. By moving the nuts c4L c4 the entire dating device may be moved bodily toward and from the die-plate, thus enabling the types upon the band to be accurately adj usted with relation to the printingsurface of the die-plate C2. As far as described, the dating device is constructed in the manner heretofore common and well known. The edges of the saidframe-plate DDare extended slightly outside of or beyond the outer surfaces of the type-bands E E E2, and from the edges of said plates over the type-bands is placed a flexible sheet or covering, F, which may be of leather, cloth, rubber, or other exible material. Said sheet or covering is for the purpose of enabling the type-bands to be moved by the lingers by direct pressure upon or engagement with the bands themselves, but without contact of the fingers therewith.

In case the covering F is of leather er cloth or other non-elastic material, it will be loosely attached, so that all parts of it may be freely moved by the fingers. If the said covering is made of rubber, however, it may be more closely drawn over the bands, and the elasticity of the rubber will allow it to be moved in such manner as to enable the type-bands to be conveniently shifted by the pressure of the fingers.

As a convenient means of holding or securing the covering Fin place when said covering is made of rubber, it is preferably constructed to extend entirely around the frame of the dating device, so as to cover the sides of the plates D D', as well as the bands, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3. Such rubber covering may, however, be attached to the edges ofthe plates D D with practically the same result as far as its general purpose or function is concerned. rIhe construction illustrated is, however, to be preferred in practice by reason of its simplicity and cheapness of construction and ease of attachment.

I prefer to place upon the pivot-pins d d, between the rollers thereon, disks or washers e4 et of sufficient size or diameter to extend slightly beyond the outer surface of the typebands. These disks or washers may either be attached to the rollers e e or may be made separate therefrom, the latter construction being shown in the drawings. The purpose of Vvtrained over a series of rollers, h 7L h, and a stationary cross-bar, g, at the lower end of the said frame G. In a stamp of this kind as heretofore usually constructed the rollers have been provided with toothed anges, extending outwardly at the sides of the frame, to enable the said bands to be easily turned or moved by the fingers. In applying my invention to a stamp of this kind the side openings of the frame G may be conveniently covered by dexible or elastic sheets I, secured at the margin of the side openings of the frame in any suitable or convenient manner. I have shown the said rubber strips as attached by cement to the margins of the openings at the inner surfaces of theframe.' It will of course be understood, however, that the covering I, in case it is made of elastic material, like rubber, may extend entirely around the outside of the frame in the same manner as illustrated in connection with the frame of the dating device shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in which case no especial fastening devices for such elastic or rubber covering will be required.

I have herein shown the invention asapplied to a dating device of that class having flexible type-bands5but the device may obviously bc applied equally well to a numbering or dating stamp or printing device which is provided with type disks or wheels instead of with such type-bands.

In numbering or dating devices embracing type-bands as heretofore made washers or flanges provided with milled or toothed edges have been attached to one or more of the supporting-rollers for the bands, in order to enable the said rollers to be easily turned for the purpose of moving or shifting the bands. In a construction of this kind the bands are caused to move solely by the frictional engagement of the roller therewith, and it follows that it has been necessary to draw or strain the bands tightly over the rollers in order that the bands may be positively moved. Such straining of the bands is very objectionable, for the reasons, among others, that the bands are liable to be broken at the points at which they are joined, or elsewhere, by reason of the excessive strain thereon, and that when the bands are stretched tightly over the surface by which the type is supported at the point of printing the letters are distorted or stretched out of shape,` with the result of producing an impression more or less imperfect. In a device constructed as proposed by me the bands are positively moved by the ngers without regard to the turning of the supportingrollers, so that they ICO IIO

need be no tighter than is necessary to hold them in place.

For the general purposes of the invention the ilexible or elastic covering-sheet may extend only over the part of the type disks or bands which are grasped by the fingersin moving the same; but preferably the said covering-sheet will be arranged to cover the bands or disks in such manner as to excludev dust or dirt therefrom. This may be done either by constructing the covering-sheet so as to entirely envelop or inclose the bands or disks except at the printing-point, as shown in Figs. 1,'2, and 3, or by arranging the covering-sheet to cover one or more openings in the inclosing-case of the device, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with the movable typesupports in a dating or similar device, of a iiexible sheet located adjacent to and extending over said typcsupports, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the frame of a dating or similar device and the movable typesupports thereof, of a flexible sheet supported upon the frame and extending over the said type supports, substantially as described.

3. The combination,witl1 a frame of a dating or similar` device and movable type-supports sustained thereon, of a covering of elastic material placed around the said frame and eX- tending over the said type supports, substanY tially as described.'

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. DIETZ.

Witnesses: C. CLARENCE PooLE, O. N. WILLIS. 

